CH 30

I headed towards the largest tavern near the capital city. It was the favorite spot of Rainier William, the mercenary corps commander and a lover candidate. Perhaps because it was the busiest place in the city center, it was noisy even outside the door.

I was a little excited by the lively atmosphere I was experiencing for the first time since being possessed. According to my prior knowledge, he was supposed to leave for his next hunt in a few days. Unless something unexpected happened, he would undoubtedly be here.

I showed a portrait to the coachman and instructed him to bring the person to me. I was curious about the manpower, costs, and time required to obtain the love potion.

Above all, I wanted to know for sure whether the side effects of the love potion would be losing the feelings of love. Soon after, the coachman came back and said.

“The mercenary corps you mentioned just left for a monster hunt yesterday. They probably won’t be back for a few months.”

An indescribable sense of disappointment washed over me. I felt annoyed at why they left for the hunt earlier than planned. The fiery emotions towards the male lead seemed never-ending, and now I had to endure them for several more months.

Ever since Rosetin appeared, it became difficult to control my emotions. My mood fluctuate dozens of times a day. As time went on, it became increasingly challenging to handle Lethenia’s emotions. I even started to feel anxious about enduring them until he left.

Is there no other way but to wait?

If I could, I wanted to give an immediate order to summon him to the palace. But Asha was in a situation where everything related to magic was illegal.

The mercenary corps that hunted monsters and sold magical artifacts received sponsorship from nobles of various countries, regardless of their nationalities. However, they were considered an illegal group that disrupted the country, especially in Asha.

While they couldn’t directly impose punishment on them due to their connections with other countries, hefty fines were imposed instead.

As a result, people of Asha had to pay much higher costs to engage in transactions with them. If they found out I was the Empress, they might exploit my weakness and demand a significant amount of money.

For now, it seemed best to make discreet contact without revealing my identity. It would be frustrating to wait for several months for Rainier, but what other choice did I have? Putting my regrets aside, I decided to head towards the next destination.

I told the coachman.

“Let’s go to Brilland Farm.”

I decided to head to the farm where the Xenos slaves resided. Whatever the circumstances, I was still the daughter of Duke Bledel, so it wouldn’t be too difficult to take a brief look around the farm he managed.

Stella advised me not to get involved with anyone from Xenos, but I was interested in the fact that he worked on a farm rather than being Xenos.

Considering Asha’s geographical features, it was rare to find a business as profitable as grain farming. Among them, the farms with Xenos slaves were situated on the most fertile land in Asha.

It turns out that they were all officially owned by the royal family, but most of them were managed by Duke Bledel.

The fact that even numerous local nobles were subservient to Duke Bledel was due to his involvement in these businesses. Nevertheless, the official account books were decorated in red.

With that as an excuse, the enormous profits collected from the farm would fall into the pockets of Duk Bledel, not the imperial family.

This was a significant problem for Ian. Whenever he attempted to audit the farm or appoint a co-responsible party, news of Xenos’ rebellion spread from various places, as if by a strange coincidence.

The people suffered the consequences, and public opinion of the Emperor’s moderate policy toward the Xenos was stirred.

It was obvious who was behind the uprising, but there was no confirmation. Recently, even the rival nation of Delua had joined in on the shenanigans, putting pressure on the Emperor.

As for me, I was simply interested in a business that could generate considerable profit.

‘Is there any way to get it into my hands, not Ian or Duke Bledel?’

Precious farms, where significant profits could be made without much effort, continued to entice me. In the rattling carriage, I looked at the scenery outside, deep in thought.

The cool breeze gently enveloped my face, and the clear, refreshing air reached deep into my chest. As we moved away from the bustling city, the noise that had been overwhelming my ears gradually faded away.

Looking at the run-down houses of varying heights, I felt like I were in a different world, away from the dazzling and opulent palace.

Well, I truly came to a different world. Unconsciously, light smile escaped my lips. I freely gazed out the window, and there, my eyes caught a sign indicating Brilland Farm.

We’ve already reached our destination. The sun had already set, and there were no pedestrians in sight. The surroundings were eerily quiet. The faint moonlight created a somber atmosphere today.

At that moment, I noticed someone familiar not far from the carriage. I called the coachman to pull up the carriage in a hurry.

It was a suspicious man who appeared to be in a hurry, anxiously glancing around while rushing somewhere.

“Green hair.”

Could it be him? This place was near Brilland Farm, and it was uncommon to see someone with unique green hair.

I recalled his portrait from Stella’s files. It was likely James Caron.

His vigilant glances around and his continuous scanning of the surroundings made me wonder if he was planning to escape.

If a Xenos slave was caught attempting to escape, it meant death. The direction he was heading was towards the bustling area, and if he continued without caution, he would undoubtedly attract people’s attention… I quickly put on the black cloak I had prepared.

After ordering the coachman to wait nearby for a moment, I quietly got out of the carriage. I intended to prevent him from going in that direction.

As I was about to approach him, a sudden worry crossed my mind.

If I approached him abruptly, would he be startled and run away even further?

He was a fleeing slave. Perhaps upon seeing me, he would be startled and flee even further. But if I left him as he was, it would lead to significant trouble.

While hesitating about what to do, he suddenly stopped his steps in a severely dilapidated warehouse-like place. He still looked around with a wary eye.

Then, in front of an empty door, he murmured incomprehensible words. It was a very soft voice, almost too faint to be heard by anyone except the other person, but I could discern that it was a code.

After a while, someone opened the door for him. It was a suspicious sight for anyone.

Carefully, I approached the building where he had entered. I could hear murmurs from inside.

A Xenos slave wandered alone at midnight, exchanging codes with someone for a secret meeting. Sensing something was amiss, I slowly scanned the warehouse.

When I turned a corner, I noticed a broken window high above, about the size of my head.

I stacked wooden crates on the floor to make a foothold and peeked inside. Various random objects were piled up, almost blocking the window, making the view a bit cramped, but I could see inside through a small gap.

The warehouse was illuminated by candlelight, making James, who had just entered, seen more clearly.

He was kneeling towards someone. Due to the obstacle in front of the window, I couldn’t see clearly who he was with.

James with a pale face seemed more like a frail scholar who had never experienced hardship rather than a slave engaged in arduous tasks. His eyes were filled with terror as if facing a ferocious beast, and his body trembled like bamboo in the wind.

His appearance seemed to be that of a high school student, which further troubled my heart.

“Yo-Your Grace.”

For a moment, my heart dropped. James, trembling with fear, referred to the person in front of him as “Your Grace.” Soon, I heard the sound of footsteps slowly approaching him.

As the owner of the footsteps changed position, he came fully into my sight. It was Duke Bladel.

“James.”

The Duke’s cool voice rang softly in the warehouse. He immediately struck James’ face with his fist.

The blow seemed too powerful, as James staggered, and I instinctively covered my mouth. Then, Duke Bladel spoke with a voice full of disdain.

“You know, I despise useless people the most.”

It was the same displeasing tone as when he confronted me. Duke Bladel’s serene face, resembling that of a peaceful stroll after a meal, was eerie, as if he were not human.

Suddenly, I remembered the fact that Duke Bladel was secretly manipulating the Xenos rebels. I had a thought that today I might discover something tremendous. With a trembling heart, I listened more attentively to their conversation.

“I-I apologize. If you give me another ch-chance, I will…”

“I dislike people who break promises the most.”

“R-recently, after the Xenos independence forces were arrested in a b-battle at the border, it seems that I am being s-suspected. B-but I swear I haven’t done anything suspicious!”

In an ominous atmosphere, James spoke desperately, his voice as if he were a prey caught in a spider’s web. However, the Duke of Bledel did not seem to have any intention of believing his words. There was no discernible change in his expression.

As I observed the contrasting images of the two individuals, like black and white, a shiver ran down my spine. It felt as if James’ fear was being transmitted to me.

“It must be one of the two. Either there is a rat planted by the Emperor…”

“Ugh.”

Duke Bledel kicked James hard in the stomach. His anguished groans stopped me from breathing for a moment.

“or… You are a double agent.”

Duke Bladel openly displayed his mistrust for him. James, with a more despairing expression, looked up at him.